U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,510, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein, describes a single link hinge assembly. FIGS. 1–4 of the present application illustrate such a single link hinge assembly 10 as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,510. The hinge assembly 10 includes an elongated channel member 12 preferably defined from a U-shaped member that defines a longitudinally extending recess 14 in a front face. The channel member extends axially between first and second opposite ends 16,18.
A claw member 20 is pivotally connected to the channel 12 adjacent the first end 16 at a pivot point 22 by way of a transverse rivet or other fastener 24. Thus, the channel 12 is adapted for pivoting movement relative to the claw 20 about the pivot point 22 on an arc E in respective first and second opposite directions E1,E2. The channel is movable on the arc E to and between a first operative position (FIGS. 1–3) and a second operative position (FIG. 4). As is generally known in the art, the claw 20 is adapted for connection to an appliance frame or chassis, such as that of an oven or the like, and the channel is adapted for connection to an appliance door, such as an oven door. Thus, the hinge assembly 10 (typically provided in a pair) is adapted for supporting an appliance door relative to the appliance frame so that the door is pivotally movable between a closed position that corresponds to the first operative position of the channel 12, and an open position that corresponds to the second operative position of the channel 12. The transverse rivet 24, or a sleeve,  bushing, roller or other member 24′ (FIG. 3) held thereby in recess 14, provides a link stop 40a, the purpose of which is described in full detail below.
In addition to being interconnected at the pivot point 22, the claw and channel 12 are operably interconnected by a link assembly 30 comprising a single link member 32 and a spring 34. A first end 32a of the link member 32 is pivotally connected to a central region of the claw 20 by a rivet 36, and a second end 32b of the link member 32 is connected to a first end 34a of the spring 34. The second end 34b of the spring is fixedly secured to the channel member 12, preferably adjacent the channel member second end 18 or at least at a point axially spaced from the first end 16 of the channel member 12. As shown herein, spring 34 is a coil spring conformed with hooks at both its first and second ends 34a,34b—the hook at the spring first end 34a adapted to engage an aperture 38 or other portion of the link member 32, and the hook at the spring second end 34b adapted to engage a projecting portion 19 of the channel second end 18. The link member 32 also defines opposite first and second contact surfaces or edges 42a,42b, respectively.
The hinge assembly 10 further comprises a link control member 40b, preferably provided in the form of a sleeve or roller 25′ (FIG. 3) supported on a rivet or other fastener 25 and spanning the recess 14 adjacent the second contact surface 42b of the link member 32. The link member 32 is located between the link stop 40a and the link control member 40b. 
As shown in FIG. 1, a first end of the second link  contact surface 42b defines a projecting lobe 44 that is conformed to engage the link control member 40b when the channel 12 is moved to its first operative position. The lobe 44 urges the link control member 40b and, thus, the channel member 12, away from the link member 32 to hold the channel member 12 in its first operative position. The second end 46 of the second contact surface 42b is conformed to curve smoothly toward the channel member 12. Notably, for reasons described below, no dwell point need be defined in the second end 46 of the surface 42b. This allows the link member 32 to be smaller in size.
The spring 34 is preferably a coil spring that normally biases the channel 12 into its first operative position. When the channel is in its first operative position, the spring 34 is relatively but not completely relaxed. Upon movement of the channel 12 in the first direction E1 on the arc E toward the second operative position, the spring 34 elongates and is tensioned. As the spring elongates, the link 32 moves toward the first end 16 of the channel 12, with the link control member 40b preferably continuously engaging the second contact surface 42b of the link 32 as this movement occurs.
With particular reference to FIG. 4, when the channel 12 is moved fully into its second operative position, the link control member 40b is engaged with the second end 46 of the second link contact surface 42b which causes the link 32 to be urged away from the channel 12, i.e., outwardly of the channel recess 14. The first contact surface 42a of the link 32 engages and is held in engagement with the link stop 40a.  
Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that, owing to the fact that the first and second contact surfaces 42a,42b of the link member 32 are in respective contact with link stop 40a and link control member 40b when the channel member 12 is in its second operative position, the channel member 12 is unable to pivot farther in the first direction E1, i.e., engagement of the first and second link contact surfaces 42a,42b with the stop 40a and control member 40b, respectively, provides a stop that defines the second operative position of the channel member 12.
When the channel 12 is in its second operative position as shown in FIG. 4, the link 32 is wedged into engagement with the link stop 40a and link control member 40b, and is also held in position by the fastener 36 that connects the link 32 to the claw 20. With the link 32 so positioned, application of force on the channel member 12 in an effort to move it further in the first direction E1 beyond the second operative position causes the force to be distributed in a triangular pattern between the link stop 40a, the link control member 40b, and the connection point 36. When the channel 12 is in its second operative position, the link 32 is engaged with and supported by the link stop 40a, the control member 40b, and the rivet or other fastener 36.
Double link hinge assemblies including various break-away link structures are known and comprise multiple aligned links 32 for added strength. These are more expensive to manufacture as compared to single link hinge assemblies. For this and other reasons, it has been deemed desirable to  provide a single-link hinge assembly, such as the hinge assembly 10, with a self-contained “over-open” or break-away mechanism (i.e., one not relying upon external components) that allow the channel member 12 to pivot relative to the claw in the first direction E1 beyond the second operative position described above to a break-away position upon application of sufficient break-away force to the channel member 12 or an appliance door connected thereto for preventing damage to the appliance frame and/or the hinge assembly and to prevent tipping of the appliance.